san francisco @ nite

September 13, 2002

Hey coolgrrrls readers. Again, I have a lot to backtrack and try to fill you in on. First, in my last column I mentioned cutting my finger on broken glass on the floor at the Hollywood Hate show at the CW. Well, it turned out to be MAJOR! It's super irritating, but that slip on spilled beer caused me to sever both tendons in my right index finger, and I ended up having to have surgery. It's been a major ordeal that includes daily hand therapy, but I hope to have full use and movement back within 6 months. My medical bills are at $6,500 and still counting, but the club has liability insurance that will hopefully come through. Now, on to the shows.

I will start with Gay Pride Weekend. My good friends Andrew and Brant came up from LA for the weekend. (Those 2 recently made a wig for Cher, and she left a message on Brant's cell phone that several of us demanded to have played over and over again. "Hi Brant, this is Cher (!!!). Thanks so much for the wig…" blah, blah, blah, but can you imagine getting a call from Cher?! I have to admit, I'd get giddy like a schoolgirl.) Any-who, Friday night a big scary gaggle of all the freaks went out to Club Universe to see Dead or Alive! (You know- the UK Pop/ Dance group who had the 80s hit, "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)." Anyway, singer Pete Burns is an obvious fan of plastic surgery, and now looks a lot like an Asian socialite transvestite (if that makes any sense). (Think an Asian tranny doing Joan Collins.) Dead or Alive is one of my all-time favorite pointless bands, that also happens to be brilliantly insane (like Sputnik ). The show was so much fun, but before they performed, the club was a blast already because they hired go-go dancers who were supposed to be look-alikes of various 80s pop stars. Adam Ant was there, Madonna (in 'Like a Virgin' White wedding dress), Dale Bozzio of Missing Persons, a questionable Debbie Harry of Blondie, and our very own Jason El Diablo (my friend who I went to Cancun with) was the Pete Burns look alike. My group of friends and I have all heard many a rumor from various sources in the know about what a catty bitch Pete Burns is, so I was waiting to see if he got catty over Jason being at his show impersonating him. In reality though, there was no drama; I don't even know if Miss Burns had a clue. The songs all sounded great and I loved all of them. And I have to say, seeing what Pete Burns has morphed himself into was very interesting. Definitely an experience to remember. That Sunday was the big Gay Pride celebration at City Hall. The streets are blocked off, people drink and eat meat on sticks, Gay Dance music is blaring from every direction, and many attendees are wearing crazy get-ups or nothing at all. I saw a mustached fellow in full makeup and a dress made out of red rubber flip flops with matching red rubber flip flop earrings! I went to the event with about 15 or 20 people, ALL DRUNK, and we of course ended up split apart; but the day was way more fun than I could have imagined, especially since I don't like huge crowds. Dead or Alive performed on a stage set up behind city hall, and they were spectacular again. When they finished their set, Marc Almond (of Soft Cell) performed. It was truly one of the best days I've ever had.

The Saturday of that same weekend, of my favorite local punk bands, the Nubs had their CD Release party with Fracas, the Jack Saints, and the Angry Amputees at Kimos. It was a fun show with a fun crowd and I was happy it went well for them.

Right now I am sitting at the airport in Vegas looking like a punk rock tech geek typing on my iBook when I could be drinking and gambling. Forget the fact that it's only 10 am and I've been up since 4am, I'm being practical cause I'm broke! I did let myself indulge in $5 worth of Quarter slots, but that's it. If I'm going to be frivolous, it's going to be on a European vacation. My hand injury that I mentioned earlier really put a crimp in my bank account. I couldn't keep up the pace my business was at prior to my injury since I am right handed, and I lost full use of my right hand. To help make ends meet, I have taken a silly, somewhat demeaning job, but I really can't complain about it. I work for a beer distributor, doing beer promos at bars. I can drink on the clock, get an hourly wage, and work anywhere from 4-15 hours a week on weekday evenings so as not to interfere with my weekends. It has been an interesting sociological experience. I've met people from all over the world, and all walks of life. But I can't stand the Bay Area yuppies in the financial district! The men are complete pompous assholes who would sell their girlfriends for a dollar (or a drink with me), and the women won't even let me get 3 words out without waving me away, or saying NO! before I've even finished a sentence. I'll say, "Would you like…" and they cut me off and say "NO!" I have Budweiser business cards and voicemail, flexible hours, and can order all the Budweiser bikinis and pajamas I want at wholesale. Not bad for a little extra money during this economic crunch. I might even start working sports bars for Monday night football because I can't imagine I'd have something better to do on Monday nights. Too bad I don't like sports, or this would be a blast for me. But I do love beer.

August 22-25 was "Nadine's Wild Weekend" again. It's a Music weekend dedicated to getting Northern California bands recognized by the music industry. Nadine started out 20 years ago as publicist for Jefferson Airplane and has gone on to be instrumental in getting bands like Third Eye Blind, Cake, Train, and many well-known others from the area noticed and signed to labels. The event consists of 130 bands at 10 clubs over 4 nights. This year I was in charge of the media guest relations and I assisted with publicity for the event. I have done one thing or another with the event 3 out of 4 years that it's been happening. I think the event is very worthwhile, and I'm glad to be involved with all the hard working people who give their time and energy to help the local music scene thrive. The event also donates proceeds to charity, which gives this event another dimension that most music weekends don't have that I know of. (www.nadineswildweekend.com)

Some of the bands who I particularly enjoyed were: The Please, a band who reminds me of Echo and The Bunneymen and The Strokes; M. Headphone, whose vocal harmonies were phenomenal; and Enda, who is made up of 2 girls and 2 guys and whose sound is melodic, inventive, and unique. This year I made a point to see bands I wasn't familiar with. Many of the bands who played are bands I am friendly with or have seen before, so I skipped those shows and chose to broaden my horizons. After all, one can't really be at 10 clubs at once. But, boy did I try. I think I spent about $60 in cabs in 3 nights!

Recently, my friends in Blue Period played a show with German punkstress, Nina Hagen. It was a sold out affair, and I didn't end up going, but was told by many that it was amazing, and that she looked amazing. To read a short review of the show, go to: (www.sfgate.com)

I am now on my way to Dallas to visit my father. He had 3 minor strokes last year and his friend called and told me I should come out to see him. That phone call scared me, as I am a total Daddy's girl and don't know how I could ever live without him in my life. I've talked with him and he sounds okay, but I worry, and the very idea of getting old just sucks. I guess we all all have to go through this stuff in life.

Okay, so now it's a few days later and I'm on my way back to Vegas. My dad was just fine by the way, and it was great to see him. Last night I was lucky enough to be in Dallas on a night that one of my favorite bands of all time was playing in town. The New Bomb Turks played at a cool punk club called Spider Babies on Labor Day (Monday). The club is small enough that you can totally hang with the band, which was rad. I talked to the band and told them that I work with the Nubs, whose single from 1980, "Job," was covered by the New Bomb Turks in 1996. They didn't realize the Nubs were re-formed and gigging and have just recorded their first ever full-length album. Anyway, the show was absolutely brilliantly fucking amazing. I bought their new album, "The Night Before The Day The Earth Stood Still," which is great. Unfortunately, their singer Eric told me this may be their last tour because they keep themselves pretty busy with their lives in Ohio. That sounds lame, but at least I'll get to see them in a few weeks in San Francisco at Bottom of the Hill. They're on tour with "Demons" from Sweden. I always found it funny that Demons is in quotation marks, so I ended up acting ridiculous and finger-quoting an entire conversation with one of the "Demons." The New Bomb Turks have amazing energy and Eric does some really funny stuff onstage, like grabbing a guy's finger and picking his nose with a fan's finger! He also makes lots of amusing faces, and it makes him a great, flamboyant front man. After the show, my buddy Johnny (who was responsible for turning me on to the New Bomb Turks in 94 or 95) and I went backstage and requested "Bad Girl," (originally a New York Dolls song that the NBTs covered) by showing them my Bad Girl tattoo that I have on my back. They found it funny that I had a tattooed song request, and said they'd play it in SF. I LOVE the New Bomb Turks! I told them that they get me moving like no other band can. I gave them what they tell me is the best compliment they've ever been given. I said they make me dance like Tina Turner doing "River Deep Mountain High," and I've never danced like Tina Turner! But I feel like her when I'm rockin' out to the New Bomb Turks! I always end up jumping around and shaking through every show of theirs that I've seen. That's actually how I met them the first time when they came through SF when I'd first moved there around 96 or 97. I was jumping up and down like a maniac in the front row, and after the show, Eric came up to me and thanked me for rockin' out. www.newbombturks.com

The Epoxies are playing this Friday the 13th with The Phenomenauts (who are up for an SF Weekly Award this year) at Bottom of the Hill. The show sold out and should be a good one.

I've been recently told by several people that there is a guy names Butch Walker who has a song he just released called Alisha Amnesia. I don't know the guy, but how many of us Alisha Amnesia's can there be? I don't know anything specific, but I want to hear it.

Other news: My boyfriend of 2 years and I are through. I'm surprised at how I feel about it. Although I'll miss the good stuff, I feel really right about it. Breakups suck, but I have a lot to look forward to right now. I'm moving into a gorgeous new apartment, considering taking on a new venture with my career, and The New Bomb Turks are coming back! I also got scouted by a model scout, but I've been too busy to follow up on that, and don't really care. It's nice to get the compliment though. I am feeling very positive and happy about all the new possibilities ahead for me. Sometimes even the boulders life throws at you can end up being a blessing.

Remembering those we lost last year on September 11th. Happy Birthday Johnny Hawkins, and this one has got to be better than the last.
All for now…XoXo Alisha Amnesia

Hi out there to everyone in CG land. I have to scold myself for how much time I have let pass between updates lately. I've been running my own Music Publicity Company since last October, and it continues to keep me busy. The month of May, I worked with 10 clients; as well as taking a week off to go to Cancun, and going out to Orange County for a Psychobilly weekender-- the Wreckers Ball. I have got to do better at submitting frequent updates because waiting so long just makes me work harder to catch up on all the shows I want to share with you all, many of which I end up forgetting.

I want start off by acknowledging the loss of a true punk rock musical legend. Dee Dee Ramone changed the world of music forever, as well as having a hand in making me the person I am. I still remember seeing Rock and Roll High School the first time at the age of 10, and loving it

so much, I watched it a second time immediately after I had just seen it. I was so young and sheltered that I thought the Ramones were just characters in a movie, not an actual band. I fell in love with their sound before I even knew they were for real. It wasn't until a few years later that I found out they were a real band, and I began buying their music. I saw my first Ramones concert at the age of 15, and during some craziness in the pit, a big skinhead guy knocked me down. A prince charming came to my rescue by throwing me over his shoulder to get me away from the melee, and I had split my lip being knocked in the face. I didn't know right away, but I also broke my nose from that blow! It did not deter me though, and I continued to see them every time they played for years to come. I met Joey and Johnny in 1992 (10 yrs ago! See photo!) and professed my undying devotion when my old friend Dennis of Social Distortion (R.I.P.) got me backstage to meet them. A few years ago, my friend's band, Bite, opened for Dee Dee Ramone, and I was a go-go dancer for Bite that night. I got to meet Dee Dee and get his autograph. I'm glad I at least had that opportunity before he left us all for good. RIP Dee Dee, you'll be remembered.

Well, my birthday recently came and went, and I had a fun party again this year. It was smaller than the last few I've had (30 people instead of 60), but still great. I had it at a club called The Red Devil Lounge. The club has a great décor and atmosphere done in all red and black, and looks really elegant for a music venue. The owners allowed me

to have a private party from 6-9pm before the club opened on Saturday June 8^th. (My actual Bday is June 3^rd.) I had a horrifyingly ugly Billy Idol cake, which was so ugly it was hilarious. I had The Phenomenauts (a Psychobilly band w/ Outer Space theme) perform, and East Bay Punk band, Everything Must Go. My friends "Mysterious D" and Adrian of Blue Period DJ'ed, and played an excellent mix of Punk, Hip-Hop, New Wave, and Dance. The bands were a lot of fun, and true to form; they both put on impressive shows. The Phenomenauts are always very entertaining, with their silly gadgets and stage antics. They gave me a children's toy that launches rockets up to 100 feet, which resulted in my drunken boyfriend shooting rockets at the band while they played. Everything Must Go's singer, Jake, is a madman who you never know what he'll do next. At this show he lit off a bunch of fireworks which smoked up the entire club, broke a pint glass and lit candle, and busted his head open causing him to go straight to the Emergency Room to get 7 stitches after the show. The owner told me the police came complaining about the noise, and I heard the fire marshall came (?). I took lots of pictures, and the photo lab has lost them! Those stupid Bastards! You only turn 19 once! Ha, Ha. I'm irritated, but still waiting.

Now on to the Wreckers Ball! Psychobilly bands from all over the world came to perform. Here was the lineup: Fri May 31st: Demented Are Go (UK), The Klingonz (Ireland/ UK), Hellbillies (Oakland, CA), Hayride to Hell (Oakland, CA), Speedcrazy (NYC), The Slanderin' (LA, CA), Sat June 1st: Mad Sin (Germany), Os Catalepticos (Brazil), Los Gatos Locos (Seattle), Calavera (LA, CA), Dragstrip Demons (LA, CA), Graveyard Shift (Seattle), Coffin Draggers (LA, CA), Sun June 2nd: Nekromantix (Denmark), Phantom Rockers (Dallas TX) Milwaukee Wildmen (Netherlands), Barnyard Ballers (San Diego, CA), Plan 9 (Oakland, CA), Wrekdefy (Canada), The Trenches (LA, CA).

GOD, That's a lot of Psychobilly! Anyway, true to form for music weekenders of this caliber, people were fun, friendly, and in extra-drunken form. My favorite band's performance of the weekend was the Klingonz. First of all, their music is fun. But second of all, the boys are boozing loonies! The singer and bass player wore only leopard thongs on stage with green spots painted all over their bodies, the guitar player wore nothing but the green spots, and the drummer sported a thong over his shorts the entire weekend, even during the day. I love people who have no qualms about being as foolish as humanly possible just for laughs (like myself).

Other bands who stood out for me as being really good were: The Hellbillies, Os Catalepticos (who sang in Portuguese), Coffin Draggers (their first gig ever), Phantom Rockers, and Plan 9 (a Misfits tribute band that had everyone energetically screaming along). The weekend was a lot of fun, especially all the drunken parties being continually broken up after each night's shows by the La Quinta motel manager! The motel made up a rule that no more than 4 people could be in a room at a time, so people kept switching rooms and attempting to hide. At one point, I ended up giggling in a closet with my friend D, and feeling about 14 years old while banging the hangers with my heaving shoulders as I tried to keep quiet, which amused me even more. That was one of the funniest parts of the weekend because we could not stop laughing. That poor motel manager! They locked the pool gates and would not allow people to swim because stupid psychos had thrown bottles in the pool. I jumped the fence and laid out alone on Saturday afternoon, and looked up at the balcony above to see about 30 lecherous psychobillies staring at me. I was told later that the psychos went crazy Sunday night and that the pool was full of all kinds of crap on Monday morning. I met people from all over, and got to hang out with old friends as well. I have to give SUPER HUGE thanks to my new friend Todd Huber who runs Felon Clothing in Orange County. He had free drinks the whole weekend because he was one of the vendors selling merchandise, and he kept me in the free drinks for 3 days and nights, as well as giving me a cool shirt. His clothing line is very cool, but I guess there is no website yet. (For more info you can call the office if you are shopping in OC 909-628-7779. Tell him Alisha from SF sent ya.)

I don't waste time talking about a band unless they actually inspire me in some way. Recently, it happened again. On Tue May 28^th, my friend Beth had a Birthday party where the Lewd and a band from Portland called the Triggers played. The Triggers were really awesome. Energetic, fun early 80s first wave-inspired punk rock, with a girl singer. She had stage presence and energy similar to Pat Benetar and Joan Jett. She kind of "flaunts it" even thought there ain't much there to flaunt, but she just RULED. She kicked everyone's ass. What a voice. What a Band. Maybe you had to be there to see the energy they got from the crowd. And the band was such a bunch of funny lookin' weirdos! The guy playing drums looked to me exactly like the FTM in Le Tigre. (For those unfamiliar with the term FTM, it is Female to Male, which is basically a genetic born woman who takes male hormones, grows facial hair, and looks and lives as a man. Got it? [See my old column below for the Le Tigre album cover and look at the one with a faint mustache.] To clarify though, the drummer for the Triggers IS a man.) Their mustached-guitar player was scary looking in a Village People sort of way. Anyway they were making people flip out and act foolish on a Tuesday night at a crummy ass dive (Burnt Ramen studios), which counts for a hell of a lot in my book.

I also want to mention my trip to Cancun with my crazy friend Jason El Diablo. We drank lots of Corona and Pina Coladas, hung out on the beach, and got really dark. (My tan faded in about 3 weeks.) The most fun we had during the whole trip was going on a Pirate Cruise. There was a crew of Mexican boys dressed as Pirates who put on a show and make passengers do stupid things, all led by "Captain Hook" on a fabulous authentic looking pirate ship. We had a gorgeous lobster dinner and took full advantage of the open bar. After dinner we asked the DJ to play Madonna and Jason and I were the only crazies on the boat with the nerve to take over the empty dance floor while rockin' out to a Madonna Mega-Mix. Midway through the evening, the other pirate ship pulled up to ours, and our captain had a dramatic sword fight with their captain. Our side won, and all the passengers on each boat were yelling at each other. It was very silly and funny. Captain Hook had a crush on one of us, I'm not sure which, and asked us to wait for him to get off work and go party with us. I don't trust pirates, so we split. Jason woke up the next morning in front of our hotel room door, apparently after a night so drunken that he could not figure out how to get inside! It was his first memory on the morning of his Birthday! Needless to say, we lived it up.

Friday May 21^st, I went to the CW Saloon to see Strychnine, Smogtown (LA), and Hollywood Hate (LA). I had a great time except for a minor injury I incurred. At one point during Hollywood Hate's set, I noticed that there were only girls flailing in front of the stage for a change; and I decided to go jump and run around with them since there were no guys around to knock me down or hurt me, (as is the norm in a pit). Well, the floor of the venue was covered in broken glass and spilled beer that the club staff did not bother to sweep up. Either someone tripped me, or I tripped due to the beer all over the floor, and I fell to my knees! I got up really fast, kind of embarrassed and my knees were really hurting, but I thought it was just a little fall and I was fine. I looked down a few minutes later and discovered that my hand was gushing blood. I ran to the bathroom to see where I was cut, and discovered that the broken pint glasses had cut the bend of my right pointer finger and middle finger. The stupid club didn't have any band-aids or a first aid kit, so my boyfriend wrapped up my fingers with paper towels and clear packing tape. The next day my pointer finger was swollen and wouldn't bend, and I was still bleeding 13 hours later, and felt my pointer finger felt a little numb. I spent my Saturday afternoon in the ER because I was concerned that I could have nerve damage or glass stuck in there or something. After several hours, a tetanus shot, and a few x-rays, it was confirmed that I was fine and that there was nothing I could do about it except to wait for it to heal. It really sucks though because I can't open a can or jar since my pointer finger won't bend, and my middle finger hurts to move because of the cut there. I'm trying to learn to do things with my left hand for the time being. BOOOOO! Who knew when I got into punk rock like 15 years ago, that I'd still be incurring idiotic injuries due to the shoddy dives that are host the bands I like? Well, what can I do? Stop going out, stop being inspired, and stop having fun? I don't think so.

That's why I carefully dressed and went right back out again to see the Stitches play with legendary female-fronted punk band, The Rezillos from Scotland. The club (Justice League) was packed. It was hot and sweaty and hard to get through the crowd. I tried to stay out of the fray and keep my fingers from getting banged around. The bands were both high energy, fun, and amazing, and the crowds were really into it. I really enjoyed the Rezillos and was glad I was able to experience them. (They started out in 1976). They did seem to sound a little slower than what I remember from their recordings, but still were very good. At the end of the night though, some dumb ass skinheads had to fuck it all up, as is their MO. These 3 skins are standing below me because I was in an area that was elevated, and one of them pegs me in the side of my forehead with an almost empty beer cup. I was pissed off and yelled, "Why do you have to throw beer at girls?" I don't know them, they should've just said sorry. Instead one of them spat at me…the fucking nerve. So it took me less than a half a second to determine that I'd rather pelt them with my $5 beer than finish drinking it. No one spits at me for no godamned reason! Then chaos ensued immediately. It was totally ridiculous, and because of those skinhead assholes, everyone was thrown out. I wish there were a no-skinheads rule at clubs, because when ever those boneheads show up, there's some sort of trouble.

The next night, I was invited to a new event called the Hair Lair. A funny 80s hair band cover band called Teeze headlined. Their singer, Christina organized the event. They played Ratt, Motley Crue, Cinderella, Billy Idol, Guns and Roses, and the like. They were really fun, and a great crowd came out. The night also featured a fetish fashion show, raffle giveaway, and SF Glam Rock band, Blue Period, who put on a great show. It was a fun night, held at a club called the Glas Kat, which used to be a prominent venue that featured many touring punk bands before it's demise a few years back. I had seen The Descendants, Youth Brigade, New Bomb Turks, Social Distortion, The Misfits, and many others before it closed its doors as the Trocadero. The remodeled club was almost unrecognizable, but I'm glad I got to see what it has become. I think it's a yuppie club most of the time, so I may never end up there again.

Announcement: Fun, Snotty Punk band the Nubs have their CD Release Sat. June 29th at KIMO'S (1351 Polk St. @ Pine, 415-885-4535) with Aces High, Fracas (who I like), Jack Saints, and local favorites Angry Amputees.

Next weekend is Gay Pride weekend, which is a very busy time every year in San Francisco. I am soooooooo looking forward to seeing Dead or Alive at Club Universe on Friday night. They also perform at the Gay Pride outdoor event on Sunday with Marc Almond as well. Should be fun. Until next time….

I’m going to start with Le Tigre! They played 2 shows in SF on Sunday March 10^th at The Great American Music Hall- a beautiful old charming venue with high, carved baroque ceilings, gorgeous columns, and an upper balcony. Le Tigre fucking rocks, and their amazing positive energy is contagious. It was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while (of that size), and both the early evening (5:30 pm) and the night show (9pm) were sold out. Le Tigre had videos playing in the background, cute Star-Trek outfits, and funny on-stage antics like pretending to all surf California-girl style with waves on the screen behind them. They had about 600 people pogoing in unison. It was truly magical. The opening band on the tour, Chicks on Speed, were a pleasant surprise as well. They fit in with the kooky, electronic, girl power Le Tigre vibe perfectly. They had 3 girls, a laptop, and video screen backing them. I heard a rumor that the girls are fashion designers in Germany (?). I have no idea, but the clothes were very entertaining. They wore florescent outifits that were different from one another, but similar (like the girl bands of the 60s used to), and the look was very 80s. Their music was similar to Le Tigre’s, and I was excited by it, so I ran to their merch booth, ready to spend some money. There I found that they did not have the CD for sale that contained the music they played at the show. I walked away dissapointed and empty handed. That is such a dumb thing to do on tour. I don’t care if you have to have everything Fed Exed, overnight; have merch at the shows when you go on tour! It’s the way to gain new fans and make money! Hello…. Anyway, the show was totally amazing, and I’d definitely see both of them again, if given the opportunity. www.astropitch.com/chicksonspeed. Le Tigre: students.bard.edu/~ba935/letigre/news.html

The next show I wanted to mention is Texas Terri & the Stiff Ones, and the Toilet Boys at Slims on a Tuesday night (Mar.19^th). It’s hard to be motivated and feel like rockin’ and rollin’ on a Tuesday, but Texas Terri put me on the list, so I jumped on the bus with my stiletto boots and latex skirt (I was broke and normally would not think it a smart thing to get on the bus after dark dressed like a rock slut), and headed to the show. Texas Terri put on a great high-energy rock and roll-a thon, and she is still one of the few women (with the exception of Joan Jett) who I think can really pull off a Stooges cover with absolute authority and style. She informed the audience that she is changing the name of the band to Texas Terri and Dynamite. She was trying to gauge the audience opinion on the name change, and we were all wishy-washy. People don’t usually love change, but will adjust in time- reluctantly. Speaking of which, one of my favorite Toilet Boys has stopped performing with the group! Original Bassist, Adam Vomit is no longer with

the band. What a bummer! Their show was still good, but I did missing seeing and hearing Adam in the band. His harmonies "C’mon, Baby…" really added something to their sound that I missed. But as usual, if ya wanna see a kick ass rock show, the Toilet Boys deliver. www.texasterri.com, www.toiletboys.com.

The next night, Wed. Mar. 20^th, I went to see East Bay punk band, Fracas, at Polk Street dive club, Kimo’s. This band is really good. Their singer, Joe has a Glenn Danzig-like, Misfits croon, not to mention having an insane amount of energy and minimal regard for his own safety. That always makes for an interesting show. Every time I see him perform or hear about a show I missed, there is some blood or an injury involved! This is the second time I saw his face covered in blood from a blow to the forehead! It might seem to some that these are purposeful stunts, but I really believe that’s not the case. When you combine testosterone, attitude, energy, and a crowd of enthusiastic onlookers, with the front man of Fracas, you get a little bit of mayhem. The show had great energy and a surprisingly good turnout for a random Wednesday night at a dive! I listened to their CD the rest of the week, and like it a lot.

The next night, Thur. Mar. 21^st, I went to good ol’ "Stinky’s Peep Show" at the Justice League. It was the woman responsible for the weekly ongoing club- Audra’s birthday (www.stinkyspeepshow.com). Hollywood Hate from LA played with Youth Brigade. I love Hollywood Hate. Singer, Scotty used to be in Verbal Abuse and also sang for Electric Frankenstein. He’s got a great voice for punk and rock and roll- kind of throaty and snotty and distinct. The set was full of energy, and they put on a great show… so much so, that I didn’t even hang out to pay attention to Youth Brigade. I’d seen them a few times over the past 5 years, and never really been won over, so I stayed in the backstage area for their set and made friends with the free beer. (Some things never change.) Then later after Youth Brigade finished, all Audra’s friends joined in for a little shotfest- which my boyfriend and I were invited to join. The next morning, I woke my boyfriend up, later than usual for his workday. He was sleeping in because he though it was Saturday. He grumpily informed me, "I’m never drinking with you again!" (Yeah, right. It was so cute though.)

The next show I want to mention was a party where The Phenomenauts played at their warehouse in Oakland. I mentioned this band in my last column. They are like a Psychobilly band from outer space. To quote them, "They’re what would happen if Devo ran into the Stray Cats and a couple of guys from Nasa at the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and (they) decided to become Galactic pioneers, defending the right of people everywhere to Rock and Roll!" I like them so much, that I’m about to start working with them. So in accordance with my self-imposed rule of not reviewing bands I have a working relationship with, I can’t tell you anymore. Their party was a lot of fun, and they have an awesome warehouse with a stage that they built. Just look out for this band if you live in the Bay Area, and if they have upcoming tour plans, I’ll let all the coolgrrrls readers in on them. www.phenomenauts.com

Okay, a little break from all the rock and roll for a minute. I recently got to experience something adults do in the Bay Area! My boyfriend and I spent a day in the Napa Valley and went wine tasting all day. The weather was gorgeous- Easter weekend- and the scenery was beautiful. The wine varied from vineyard to vineyard, but I was surprised to conclude that of the 8 or 9 we went to, the best wines overall were at Niebaam Coppolla, Francis Ford Coppolla’s winery. (Those wines are available in stores if anyone wants to check them out.) It was also one of

the prettiest vineyards we saw. (Seeing how Coppolla is a movie mogul, I expected a cheesy vineyard version of a self-grandising Planet Hollywood type of scene. That was not the case at all.)

Okay, just a couple more bands that I have to talk about. I just went to see an amazing act on Wed. Apr. 10^th at the CW Saloon. The band is called Captured By Robots. It is fronted and masterminded by a guy named Jay, who goes by "JayBot". The rest of the band is a bunch of robots that he built. He must be a genuis. I don’t think I can really give the show and how amazing it was a proper review. It is something everyone should see and experience to believe. There is a 6+foot "GuitarBot 666" that plays guitar, two drum machines- one that has a rock chick’s head with dreads. The robots have eyes that glow in the dark when they are talking, so you can see who says what. There was actual stage banter in between songs, most of which consisted of the robots degrading "the human," and all other humans for that matter. The whole concept of the band is, that these robots captured this guy and force him to be in their band. It is just hilarious, not to mention completely innovative. He has just embarked on a tour, so check the website, www.capturedbyrobots.com.

Okay, 3 more show mentions to go. First, Friday Apr. 12^th I went to see a local punk band called the Radio Reelers. They are relatively new on the scene, because I haven’t heard a whole lot about them. This was my second time to see them, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. They are along the lines of bands heavily inspired by the Ramones- fast, punk, fun, and catchy. They played at a new venue on Polk St. called The Hemlock Tavern. It’s a hip bar with a smaller elevated backroom area, and the small club feel reminds me of the feeling that has been conveyed in books I’ve read about the early intimate feeling of CBGBs in the late 70s. It sort of felt like a little punk rock family, which is really different from the rest of the venues in SF to see punk shows. The Hemlock Tavern has different types of music nightly, and I was glad to see a new place to see live shows spring up.

Okay, the next show was an absolute chaotic doozy! I went to see Sandy West of the Runaways perform with her new solo act. What a train wreck… couldn’t look away. (She was the drummer for the Runaways, but in the solo act, she sings and plays guitar.)She comes on stage, rather late, after her backing band attempted to warm up the crowd by playing Jimi Hendrix’s "Voodoo Child", some Ozzy, "Wild Thing", and that sort of stuff. She had a super deep voice and was saying that this was a "family night," and then she proceeded to run to the back of the room and make everybody pick up their chairs and move up to the front of the stage. It felt like assigned seating in school or something. I hung back with my friends who work at Kimos, and my guy, and watched the spectacle. The music was only mediocre at best, but it would have been enough to keep me interested if she kept the show moving at a normal pace. Instead, she would talk about herself, tell stories, and mess with equipment for 5-10 minutes in between songs. It was really kind of disturbing. I was there about 30 minutes and had only seen 2 songs. I stayed for the 1^st half of the set, told everybody I’d be back in 20 minutes, and my guy and I ran to another bar down the street for a beer and shot. We came back after 20 minutes, and were told by the doorperson that we only missed 2 songs. It was pretty ridiculous, The cover charge was $10 a person, and that show did not live up to that kind of cover charge. (This could have been an off night, or maybe she just makes a better drummer than front woman.)

One more show to mention. Sun Apr 14^th at the CW Saloon- East Bay Punk band, Everything Must Go! They haven’t played that many gigs in the city yet, but I think they are on their way to building a following if they continue to get on more bills. Singer Jakeis a wildman, and similar to Fracas’ lead singer Joe; shows minimal regard for his own safety. He flails around and acts up, not quite Iggy-style, but slightly tamer. He pelted the entire stage and crowd with confetti, and it looked like a snowstorm. Some clever guy laid in front of the stage and made a snow angel. That kind of made my night. It’s charming to watchbands with a small crowd who are on their way to getting noticed, and I think if they make an effort, they’ll gain a local loyal fan base in the near future.

I forgot to mention that I went to see Detroit-based garage rock band, The Dirtbombs the first Sat in March, in LA at the Troubador. I had never been to this venue, and I was in LA and couldn’t miss one of my recent favorites. They put on a great show that ended with one of the drummers destroying everything. I’ve mentioned this band before, but for those of you who haven’t heard of them, they have a black lead singer- which is relatively unique in the garage rock genre- and his voice is soulful like Jimi Hendrix’s, and he also plays guitar. They have 2 bass players and 2 drummers who play in unison, and they recently recorded an album composed entirely of cover tunes titled, "Ultraglide in Black." The album is really good, and they played everything on it. It was a great show. www.thedirtbombs.com

Also happening the same night in LA, was Club Makeup at the El Ray Theatre. There is always a different theme, and the club occurs the first Sat of every month. This show was a star-studded rock and roll performance with Cherie Currie and Sandy West of the Runaways, Dee Dee Ramone, and Clem Burke from Blondie. (To see photos of them on stage: clubmakeup.net/PartyPics/March2002/index_4.htm) I was really looking forward to this show. Unfortunately, I missed all but the last song. I rushed to Makeup in a cab after the Dirtbombs, but was unable to fit everything in to the night. The consolation for me was, the crowds at club makeup are so entertaining. I had fun people watching, dancing, and talking to people. I decided to have my photo taken with everyone who looked as if the raided Elton John's closet in the 70s, or had a unique look on my way out, while my friends were rushing me to leave. The photos had me laughing out loud when I got them back. See for yourself! One of the things I love about Club Makeup is that all types mingle, and anything goes. www.clubmakeup.net

Anyway, kids, the next show I'm going to is The Rubber City Rebels, The Briefs, and the Bobbyteens Apr 18^th at Stinky's Peep Show. Then Saturday 4/20, I have a big party I'm throwing for my company- the local music scene is invited; and then Sat. night, Strychnine is playing the CW one last time before they head to Europe for a 6 week tour. (www.strychnine.net)

I'm now in the beginning process of planning my next Birthday bash this June. I have thrown something different together every year, and have sort of made this a difficult task to top myself every year. The last 5 years were a lot of fun, so I have to cook something interesting up. I'm looking forward to it. I just love throwing a good party.

While in Texas, I also stayed a few days before Xmas with my boyfriend's family on a farm an hour outside Houston. My boyfriend has been playing drums since he was a kid and has been in punk bands for approximately 15 years. In my family, that would make me a black sheep, but in his, he's the star. They love him and have a little wall of fame- photos of him playing in bands as a teenager and scrapbooks full of old flyers and postcards he sent to his parents. It was cute. They had cows and horses and guns to play with… none of which interested me in the least because I'm a city girl to the core. Lucky for me, his mom bought us lots of Budweiser, and she was a hoot to chat with. (I don't know if I've ever called anyone a hoot before, but she was.) His parents had buckets full of old wine corks, and they taught me to make cork boards with them. I hadn't done anything crafty in a million years and it was fun! I felt like I was in grade school!

For the New Year, I was off to LA with my friend Jason El Diablo. We had the good fortune to be picked up in a white stretch limo for our ride to the airport the morning of New Years eve. We expected to split a Town Car, but it was already booked, so we ended up with the limo. No problem there- when I saw the limo, I ran back up to my apartment to grab a bottle of bubbly to drink on the way. We rocked out to the new CHER and loved every minute of it. We were headed to CHER the New Year with our good friend Andrew. (We jokingly invented a scenario where someone had to mention CHER at least every 10 minutes, but that game continued sporadically at best.) Andrew invited people over for an early cocktail party and then we headed to a huge club complex that included seven regular LA clubs in one. (Club Makeup, Tiger Heat, Fetish Ball, Coven 13, Sinamatic, Cherry, and Shout!) There was too much fun to be had, and we had it. It was a decadent, crazy night with tons of freaks and eye candy- exactly what I think New Years eve should be. In all, it was completely brilliant, and we continued the party another 24 hours. The next night, we had an absolute blast at (The?) Akbar. The DJ made us so happy. He played "Supersonic," by JJ Fad and won me over quickly. The DJ continually busted out songs and artists I thought were long forgotten and often overlooked- Pebbles, Le Tigre, Salt n Pepa, etc. Jason El Diablo and I won a rock trivia contest by naming Joan Jett's first band, and then all the other members of the Runaways. The prize was free admission for a club that was happening in a few nights after we'd already be back in S.F. Oh well, I tried to get free drinks instead, but that didn't work!

Well now that I caught everyone up on my holidays, I'll tell ya what's up now. I went to see old school English punk band SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS the first Friday in February. They had really impressed me in August when I saw them at Holidays in the Sun, but this show didn't really grab me. Apparently I wasn't the only one because I heard other people say unfavorable things. THE STITCHES opened up for them and were great- as I usually think. I saw a lot of cigarettes being thrown toward the singer, and I thought it was pretty lame. Then later, when Slaughter and the Dogs were on, I saw this asshole skinhead throw his drink in the air. The next thing I noticed was this AWFUL RANK smell. I looked down at myself and it looked like I was covered in blood. Lucky me- I got hit with a smelly Bloody Mary! I wiped it off my arms, but it was in a clump in the back of my hair and I had to wash my hair to get rid of that rank tomato and horseradish smell. Whatcha gonna do?! (The weekend before, Tony from SHUT THE FUCK UP threw a plastic water bottle into the crowd and hit me in the face!) I told him I was ready for a nose job anyway. He said he could try again… I declined!

The next night, the first Sat. in Feb., I went to see a girl band called the Subtonix (from LA I think). They were definitely interesting because they had a sax and keyboards, and no bass, and were goth. Also, the sax player and drummer both sang, as well as the singer/ guitarist, and the singer/ guitarist also played drums. They kept playing musical chairs, but continued to sound like the same band. The Lewd also played, and I thought they were particularly good that night. Speaking of particularly good, I also want to mention that I saw Strychnine the week before with their new second guitarist, Iden performing his first show with the group. It was the best I've heard the band sound, and a lot of people who saw them that night kept talking about how good they were. They opened the show with a Turbo Negro song, and it sounded amazing. (Anyone who has read my column in the past may remember that my boyfriend is the drummer for this band and I'm always saying they are more hardcore than what I really like, but the better they are getting, the more they are growing on me.)

While I'm on the subject of bands, I found some like-minded rockin' girls who say they are down to start a band with me. I hope it happens. I'll be attempting to sing, and the longer I get used to the idea, the less nervous I am about it. The other girls are in other bands, and have experience; and with all the self-deprecating things I've said about myself, they weren't scared off by me, so that's a great sign! Since they are in other bands, what we do will be for fun and not a big commitment. I hope we can all find the time, because if we practice at least once a week, I think that could get something going. So my fingers are crossed on that one.

I just saw an independent film called "Listen with Pain" about the German industrial noise band, EINSTUERZENDE NEUBAUTEN by Christian Beetz. It was really interesting and I especially liked hearing about the background of how the band began creating instruments from found objects at building sites. Their singer, Blixa (what a cool fucking name), had a really cool look in the 80s that reminded me a bit of Peter Murphy. Nick Cave is one of the narrators in the film as well. The film was part of this year's SF Indiefest. I don't know if it will make its way around the country somehow or not, but if it does, and you are interested in unique bands and their history, see this film!

This past weekend was a whirlwind of bands. Friday evening kicked off at the CW Happy hour with one of my new favorites and future publicity clients, The Nubs. They are a great punk band, but since they are about to employ me as their publicist, I am not going to review their shows anymore due to conflict of interest. Their new self-titled CD is hot off the presses. For more info on The Nubs, check out their new website: www.nubs-sf.com. I can honestly say about this band that the crowds seem to love their live performances and they're a lot of fun.

At the night show at the CW Fri Feb 22^nd- I discovered a new band from Oakland, CA called The Phenomanauts. They are Psychobilly with stand up bass, and they're quirky and into the robot theme (which I enjoy). One of the front men wears a robot helmet that makes noises, and they had a bubble machine going, and they had intervals of smoke clouds that were very pleasant- unlike most smoke- I think it was CO2. They had a leafblower machine with an industrial toilet paper roll on the end which formed a toilet paper gun that blew toilet paper all over the audience! It was hilarious…not to mention they wore matching outfits and the music was pretty good too.

The next band on the bill was The Deep Eynde from LA, who I've mentioned a few times before. I love this band, and have become friendly with t hem. Their singer, Fate, has a gorgeous deep voice like Dave Vanian's, but maybe even better- dare I say. He also has great stage presence and style. They are a tight band with ethereal guitars, and a rockin' drummer.

I also saw Penis Flytrap from LA, fronted by Dyna Cancer from 45 Grave fame. They were not my thing, but she looked good.

The next night (Sat Feb 23 @ the CW Saloon) I saw The East Bay Chasers put on another great high-energy show. Joe Fucko from Strychnine filled in on bass and did a terrific job- I didn't notice the difference.

Coming up- I go to LA the first weekend of March and plan to see Texas Terri and Electric Frankenstein at the Garage, and The Dirtbombs at the Troubadour.

First of all, I want to make a quick mention about local Bay Area band, The Richmond Sluts. I mentioned in my last column that I don't really like this band. They do have a pretty loyal following and people do seem to like them. They recently played with a band I like called the Flakes, so I gave the Sluts another chance. I thought they put on a good show, and maybe in the past I saw them on an off-night or two. Many bands do have their off nights, after all. Anyway, even though their style of music isn't my absolute favorite, they did put on a good energetic show. I didn't want to slam them, but I have to be honest with readers about what I think. This time I thought they were good.

Anyway, local band The Flakes are a lot of fun. They remind me of a cross between the Ramones and the Beatles. Both their music and their haircuts remind me of those bands. They were a lot of fun to watch, and drummer Russell is just an amazing drummer. He also plays in awesome girl band the Bobbyteens, as their only male member. Now on to some of the bigger named national acts.

I've seen the Toilet Boys about 9 times since the first time they came to SF and played Bottom of the Hill w/ the Donnas (97 or 8?). Having said that, I pretty much knew what sort of show was in store for everyone. I didn't see anything shockingly new that night because I am pretty familiar with what this band is all about… loud guitars, shirtless boys, FIRE, and a hot blonde with lots of makeup. In a nutshell, there's enough eye candy on stage to keep almost anyone occupied. The shirtless hot rockin' boys please both the ladies and the "boys." As for the straight guys, they can be kept occupied with their respect for the rock-n-roll guitars and the fire... and maybe their awe at such an attractive (Miss) Guy. The lyrics are fun…"Yeah, I'm livin' like a millionaire," or the song that is embarrassing when it gets stuck in your head and you have to stop yourself from singing out loud, "Hard is the only way I want it…Hard just for you babe. Hard is how I'm

gonna suck it." Those are some older songs, but I recently gave their new album a listen, and it did not disappoint. Anyway, the Toilet Boys put on another great show. I do believe everyone should see them at least once or twice. I've been recruiting fans since I saw their show for the first time. I have to give the Toilet Boys credit for bringing excitement back to shows for me. I was going to a lot of Punk, Rockabilly and Psychobilly shows around the time I saw the Toilet Boys for the first time. Although I saw a lot of bands, I don't think I got very excited about any of them, or if I did, I can't remember now. When I first saw the Toilet Boys, it was like they instilled some much-needed energy back into my rock and roll world. I love the feeling of discovering a new favorite band. Although the Toilet Boys are not new to me, I do love seeing other people enjoy this band for their very first time. The Toilet Boys actually made my life more fun at a time that I was so sick of everyone taking themselves so seriously. The Toilet Boys reminded me to just enjoy myself and forget the rest for a while. Can you say that about many bands?

A highlight (literally) of the night was when hot rock-and-roll god Sean played his guitar on his head while it was on fire. He also spits flames at the crowd periodically; but if you know much about the Toilet Boys, the pyrotechnics are probably old news. Their music still rocks and their shows are still fun… and Miss Guy's look is still ON. If you get a good buzz at one of their shows, you might even be able to imagine the CBGB's scene of the late 70s- where on any given night, you might run into The New York Dolls, Blondie, The Ramones, Television, or (then) Wayne County. (I like Jayne much better.) The Toilet Boys are today's incarnation of that vital music that punk rockers everywhere have idealized. So I give credit where credit is due, and have to thank the Toilet Boys for waking something up in me that was there all along, but I had almost forgotten about.

I was a huge fan of the Supersucker's beginning in 1992 when I first heard the Smoke of Hell. The next album, La Mano Cornuda, I loved too even though I don't know what it means and can't pronounce it. After that, the band kind of lost me for a while. I know they delved into country for a while and that contributed to my loss of interest. After at least 5 years since I'd seen the Supersuckers, I wanted to see what I was missing. I anticipated they'd be playing some of the country stuff, and prepared myself for it. I was pleased and surprised to see that the band rocked through their entire show and neglected the country stuff. The high energy and The Supersuckers' signature notorious guitar freak-outs carried on through out the entire show. The show rocked from beginning to end and kept the crowd's energy level on high in its entirety. The Supersuckers rock, and shame on me for having a doubt about it.

They've just started their own record label, Mid-Fi. I was given the label's first release, "THE SONGS ALL SOUND THE SAME," at the show, and had some time to give it a good listen. I got really excited when I realized they did a rock and roll cover of Madonna's "Burning up." I've been waiting for someone to do it, and to my surprise, it was the Supersuckers. The last song on the album is a Nazareth cover, "Razzmanazz." It's a long guitar big finish that you'd normally hear at the end of a song, but it lasts a ridiculous 24 minutes! It's like a joke that went a little too far, but I love that the Supersuckers have the balls to do something like that. "THE SONGS ALL SOUND THE SAME" was originally recorded as a demo back in 1990 when the band lost their lead singer and Eddie Spaghetti sang the songs because he knew all the words. To the band's surprise, people loved it, and he ended up as the singer. I've always believed that things happen for a reason, and I'm glad they lost their original singer. Because this happened, I was able to discover and enjoy the Supersuckers for the last decade (however on-again, off-again), whereas they might have been a different band altogether with their original singer. And even though I don't love the country stuff, I do know a few people who loved it. Through all the different turns this band has made, they have been able to reach legions of fans that they might have missed if they didn't explore their various tastes. And because I think this band rocks so hard and kicks ass, I'm now a bit curious about their country stuff and plan to give it a chance in the near future.

I talked to Eddie on the phone about a week after I saw the show. He's funny and well-spoken, and I enjoyed the conversation. Click here for the Eddie Spaghetti interview.

Now I have to mention one of my favorite Bay Area bands, The Zodiac Killers! I've mentioned them several times before, but this band just keeps getting better. They just got back from a European tour which I'm told went well, and they came back home and played with Guitar Wolf from Japan. Guitar Wolf, who I've been hearing about for years, played great guitar-based, gritty rock and roll and had a cool look; but since I could not decipher any of their lyrics, I have to say I got a little bored. A few days later, ZK's played with my boyfriend's band, Strychnine, and Channel 3 from So Cal. Both shows were really great, with crowds going nuts.

The Boss Martians at Club Caliente for Stinky's Peep Show, Thursday Dec 13^th

This show was absolutely amazing. The Boss Martians ROCK, but that's actually a gross understatement. The singer, Evan's voice is powerful and full of emotion that seems to be charging out straight from the soul. The weird thing about that to me is that he looks like his singing is completely natural and effortless. When I say that the lyrics seem to be charging out from his soul, the only way I can describe it to someone is to compare his powerful singing to Janis Joplin's soulful screaming. And I don't really like Janis Joplin's music, but that's the only way I can describe his powerful vocal style. It's just amazing. Frontman Evan also plays a mean guitar. There is a second guitarist, and instead of a bass player, they have a keyboardist. I'm not usually big on keyboards, but this band is so damn energetic and rockin' that they make it work. Their drummer is also excellent- powerful and concise. In all, this band is my new favorite. I love them as much as I love The Briefs, who are also from their hometown of Seattle. The turnout at the show was incredible- it was sold out due to the fact that the headliner, Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies has a huge draw. For anyone not familiar with them, they are a punk band who cover all sorts of random songs- John Denver, Hall & Oates, and the like- but they crank em out punk

rock style. They are pretty entertaining. Anyway, everyone should look out for The Boss Martians. I think they are on their way to success. They have an obvious influence from bands like the New Bomb Turks and MC5, which I totally love.

Until next time, thanks to all the readers who have expressed their support, and I hope everyone has a pleasant holiday season. Thanks to Ashley Roach for the Supersuckers photo, Chris Neal for hooking me up with the Supersuckers, Jeremy Harris www.jeremyharris.com for the Zodiac Killers photo, and Evan from the Boss Martians for the CDs after the show! One more thank you regarding last month's Joe Strummer show. I want to thank Joe's publicist Tresa Redburn for hooking me up with backstage passes so that I was able to have my photo taken with a punk rock living legend.

Before I start my latest update, I have to share this fabulous photo with everyone. I need this Amnesia Yacht!

The end of September took me to Las Vegas for the Vegas Shakedown. I had been planning to attend the event several months in advance, and was a little disappointed that some of the bands cancelled due to the September 11^th incident. I understand it for the bands from NYC, or who have family members and friends to grieve for, but some bands from California actually cancelled. I thought that was really WEAK. I'm not sure that was really necessary if traveling and turnouts at shows were the concerns. The traveling experience was just fine. The security lines were longer, but other than that; all was fine. Fans came out from all over the place. I saw people from LA, Denver, New Orleans, Dallas, England, Japan, and San Francisco, to name a few. Well anyway, I arrived in Vegas Friday afternoon, the 28^th. I had booked a room for my boyfriend and I at the Lady Luck, which was kind of lame and depressing. It was full of old people sucking down drinks and looking at us with our bleached hair, tattoos, and spiked belts like we didn't have the right to be there. In fact, some old guy looked at us and said, "JESUS CHRIST!" I was kind of pissed. How fucking rude! And by the way, if any of you read Adena from NYC's last column of her experiences in Las Vegas, mine couldn't have been more different! It sounded as though she really experienced Las Vegas in the way that most visitors do, whereas I spent the majority of my time in the rock-and-roll trenches and dives. I'm kind of jealous; I'd like to eat nice meals and go to see 'O.' 'O' Well…

Living in San Francisco with its wind and cool temperatures, I was really looking forward to lying out by the pool and soaking in some sun. I was shit outta luck on that one. The pool at the Lady Luck is obstructed by a parking garage and is completely shaded, with not one little patch of sun. I decided that was not acceptable, and we arranged to switch hotels the next day at checkout time and move to the Frontier. A group rate for the Shakedown had been arranged, and we had friends there. We were much happier there! Not only were the rooms a lot nicer, but there were $1.99 Margaritas in the hotel and Gilley's (remember "Urban Cowboy"?) is located in the hotel with a crazy mechanical bull! The pool was much nicer, but was mostly shaded by a building as well. Next time I go to Vegas I want to stay at the Flamingo, with it's 7 famous pools and plenty of sun.

The first night of shows, I arrived to immediately have my punk rock bullet belt and spike bracelet taken away from me. That pissed me off. I got them to Vegas and couldn't even wear them! The first band was scheduled to be the Richmond Sluts, from San Francisco. Since they aren't my cup of tea, I went to the show about an hour late in hopes of missing them. Unfortunately, I arrived just in time to hear their whole set! I then looked at the schedule, which had been newly revised (but not on the website the day before, which is where I got my information). I wanted to beat my head against a wall!!! You know why? Because one of the best bands around right now had been added to the bill and went on first…THE BRIEFS from Seattle. I was fucking pissed. Not only did I miss them, but I was punished by sitting through the Richmond Sluts set of 60s style organ music. BOOOOOOOOOO! Okay, I'll stop the whining. A girl-fronted band played shortly after who were pop-punk, heavier on the pop - called the Excessories (from Southern California). I love their name, first of all. The singer is really cute with fiery red hair and a button nose, and she rocks out and plays guitar. They were definitely bubble-gum punk, sweeter than what I choose to rock out to at home; but I enjoyed their set and thought they were good. They have a song called "Punk Rock Boy," where she says "you look like Richard Hell, I don't even care if you're always unemployed, you're the one for me, Punk Rock Boy!" I love that part. She's got kind of a Belinda

Carlisle sound. I think a lot of people will enjoy this band.

The absolute highlight of the night, and of the whole Shakedown in my opinion, was Bob Log III. He is brilliant! He's a one-man band who has a drum machine, while also playing drums with his feet, and playing guitar. He has a helmet with a microphone in it that reminds me of Daft Punk, for those of you who have heard of them. He wore a one-piece jumpsuit with lights blinking up the sides, and he sounds like Ministry meets Johnny Cash or something like that. He was highly entertaining and looked like he was dressed as Evil Knevil for Halloween. I loved him! He used to be in a band called DooRag, that I've never heard.

Another band I liked played that night called the Swingin' Neckbreakers (from New Jersey). I thought they sounded a little like the Streetwalkin' Cheetas, but my boyfriend said they sounded like the MC5. (That's really the same thing, kinda.) Although I loved their set, I bought their newest CD and didn't feel as moved by it as I did with their live show. That same night, a band I have really enjoyed in the past played; but I was too tired to stick around to see them. They're called the Sons of Hercules from San Antonio, Texas. They are garage rock and I've seen them in SF before and thought they were really good. I was disappointed that I felt too bad that night to see them, but I had to take care of myself.

Saturday, I had a blast hanging out with friends; but no bands motivated my enthusiasm like the Briefs could have. A band called Throwrag from LA played. Apparently they are a big deal in LA, but I was totally bored with them and wasn't into it. They all wore matching black shirts with white ties, and two weeks after the show, that is all I can remember. Not a very memorable performance I guess. Then, a band called the "Demons" played. They were from Sweden, I think. I found it amusing that Demons had to be in quotation marks, and no one necessarily understood why. Must be a Swedish thing? They were allright, but didn't really spark my enthusiasm either. A band of Japanese guys called the King Brothers played sometime after that. I thought they were painful to watch, with very screechy vocals. But on the contrary, I spoke with a freelance music writer from San Francisco who said they were the highlight of the weekend. In the band's defense, I did not stick

around to let them change my opinion. I saw two painful songs and chose to walk away and save my eardrums. I guess it's possible that they were wonderful after I walked off. 68 Comeback from Texas were pretty interesting. They were a band of oddballs. Their singer is a big guy with long hair who walked around the show in a royal purple suit and looked really out of place. Musically, I don't remember anything specific to say about them. (I wasn't taking notes. I was there to have fun.) The Dragons from San Diego never disappoint. They were tight and straight up rock and roll. I've seen them many times over the last 4 years and I always enjoy them. The only other band Saturday that I care to comment on

is Supersnazz from Japan. They were so cute! There was a girl singer and girl bass player, and the whole band gave it all they had. The music wasn't the best in the world, but their enthusiasm grabbed everyone's attention. I recommend seeing them live for sure. I decided to hit a cheap bar near the venue with a group of friends for an impromptu shotfest; and by the time the Humpers went on around 2 am or so, I was too drunk to remember seeing them! But I have an old recording of theirs that I like a lot…maybe next time!

Sunday crept up so quickly, I couldn't believe it was to be my last night of the trip. I went to the show around 6pm to see my friends from Dallas, The Mullens. I love these guys, both musically and personally. The singer, Tim, I met over a decade ago in the Dallas punk scene. He's been in bands forever. He played drums for a band called Hash Palace, and sang for a Ramones cover band called Not the Ramones, who headlined my 21^st Birthday party! Guitarists Matt and Lee are both great musicians and we have many mutual friends. The Mullens, unlike many other bands that played the weekend, actually are what I would call straight up Garage Rock. They put on a high energy, musically tight, and fun show. I was glad I got to the venue in time to see them, even though it meant missing the pirate fight show at the Treasure Island. The only other bands that made an impression on me the last day of bands were the Gaza Strippers and the Dirtbombs. The Gaza Strippers were very energetic and crazy, and their live performance kept me interested, even thought the music didn't. By the end of their set, the singer was in his underpants, which was very amusing. The Dirtbombs were pretty unique as far as what I've seen in live bands over the years. They have two drummers who keep such perfect time with each other that I question the need for both of them, while at the same time recognizing it makes them different. Also, they are a garage punk band with a black lead singer. His voice has a full and soulful sound that you don't usually hear in garage or punk bands, probably because few white singers have such a voice. His voice reminded me a little bit of Jimi Hendrix, although I hate to say that since Jimi Hendrix is still the most recognizable black singer in rock and roll history… but it's true, their voices are similar. I really liked this band and look forward to seeing them and hearing more from them in the future.

Other than having my punk rock accessories banned from the weekend, I felt that the staff of the Huntridge Theatre was overall very friendly and cool - especially the bartenders. It is unfortunate that the people who attended the first Shakedown last year did so much damage to the Gold Coast hotel that the event could not be held there. I went to the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekenders the first 2 years- '98 and '99, which were both held at the Gold Coast, and I found the experience to be very pleasant. Not only did we get room discounts, but the entire hotel and casino staff seemed to get a big kick out of all the twenty-somethings taking over their establishment. They were so friendly and accommodating. I also enjoyed the convenience of having everyone stay in the same hotel, being able to run to your room for a nap or a change of clothes, and having the show in the hotel. I think the Shakedown would have been more fun if it were set up that way, but I have to say that the organizers did the best they could with the situation. They had van shuttles from the Frontier hotel to the Huntridge Theatre, where the shows were, for $3 a person. It was pretty convenient. The proceeds of the shows were donated to the NYC relief fund, which I found to be very admirable. I felt that the turnout was a little more sparse than it would have been before the events of Sept. 11^th, but I am really glad I went anyway. I hope the situation doesn't discourage organizers from continuing the annual Shakedown.

While in Vegas, Sunday after the show, a group of us went to a club called the Double Down. The bar features a drink called "Bug Juice," and I saw a sign for "Puke Insurance." Like I said, I was in the rock-and-roll trenches and dives! After hanging there for a while, we went to check out the Treasure Island and the Venetian, just so I'd feel I got to see some of the casinos. The next day before the flight, I checked out the pools at the Flamingo, and loved them, as I expected I would. I did not want to leave Vegas. Even though it was my 6^th time there, I was really in an exploring kind of mood. Also, I really wanted to lay in the sun a bit, but I didn't really get to do that.

There are few bands besides those at the Shakedown that I want to mention. First of all, a new band in San Francisco who are worth checking out are The Lustkillers. Singer/ Guitarist Adam Becvar, along with Guitarist Billy Rowe; are both members of American Heartbreak. Drummer, Greg McEntee is in the Swingin' Utters. Bassist and youngest member, Chuck Worthy, has been in several bands in the past, none with as big a name as the aforementioned, but nevertheless; he is also very talented. They describe themselves as: "Dead Boys meet Rocket from the Crypt." I think the influences of this band are an interesting mix. Some of them I share (Heartbreakers, Generation X, Dead Boys, Plasmatics), and other than the fact that they rock in their own right, I think those basic influences are part of the reason I dig this band. They obviously aren't afraid to take some risks, having horns in a dirty primal rock act. Their tunes are a bit contagious. Listen to MP3s on their website or check 'em out if they make it through your town. Currently they 're on hiatus because American Heartbreak and Swingin' Utters are touring, but they will be back in full force sometime around December or January.

Another Bay Area band worth mentioning is Everything Must Go. They have that crazy Stooges style, complete with singer Jake who contorts around and seems on the brink of injuring himself at any given moment. I saw them at Kimos the first week in October, and he decided to lay down and roll around all over someone's drum kit, getting tangled and mangling the hi-hat stand. The songs were catchy and rough, and I'll check them out again for sure. Unfortunately, I hear that the singer has indeed injured himself, I believe with a broken leg. I wonder if it was performance related?

Once again, I have to mention the Angry Amputees. I saw their show at the CW Happy hour Friday Oct. 12^th. The singer/ guitar player girl is a rock and roll cutie, and their amputee bass player, John; is friendly and good-natured, not to mention tenacious and talented. How else could someone without fingers play bass? Drummer, "Rawk Mom," as it says on her bass drum, has funny things to say between songs, causing the band to trade good-natured insults. This band is entertaining to watch and their music is a lot of fun, so look out for them.

October 20^th, I went to see Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. (Again, an uptight staff took away one of my bracelets!) They were good, and of course I especially liked when they did Clash songs. At some points in the show, there were 3 guitar players. Joe Strummer is going all out with this band. He even has a fiddle player. The show was packed, so Joe Strummer is definitely not old news. After the show, I had the pleasure of meeting him and having our photo taken. I met his friend Rudy, who the song "Rudy Can't Fail," is about. That's another story all together. The guy invited me to LA to see some more shows and told me he could set up an interview with Joe and I, but I got so exasperated with his attitude that I lost my patience and dropped the idea.

Coming up, the SF show for the Dead Kennedy's new live release, "Mutiny on the Bay," where I think they will also perform with a singer other than Jello Biafra. That should be interesting. It happens October 26^th at the Pound. My boyfriend's band, Strychnine is performing, as well as the East Bay Chasers, (who I really like) and 2 bands I'm unfamiliar with. I'll let you all know if anything of consequence happens at this show. I think fans could possibly start some shit if the DKs play with a singer who falls short, or if they don't play at all and just sign autographs. It makes for an interesting event either way.

One more thing- I saw The Dickies just before I went to the Vegas Shakedown and wrote a quick review. Here it is with photos courtesy of a guy I met at the show who was nice enough to help me out: Michael Pilmer.

Few shows compare to the ferocious energy and happy feelings that a Dickies show invokes for me. I'm extremely embarrassed to admit that until this year, I had never seen them live, and I've never owned any of their albums. I grew up in Texas, and I know they would not have seeped through the cracks of my music collection if I had grown up in California. But still, I can't understand how it was possible for me to grow up listening to The Germs, Fear, and The Circle Jerks- all LA punk bands, without being a Dickies fan. It makes me feel somewhat moronic, and also a little left out. Well, better late than never. The Dickies won a new fan for life at an extremely late stage in their career. It would be understandable if I was younger, but I'm pushing 30!

Anyway, the show was super fun. The singer's voice is like no one else's I can think of. It's nasally and powerful, without being annoying. The first time I saw them at Holidays in the Sun, I had decided that he reminded me of a cross between Lenny and Squiggy from Laverne and Shirley! He's got a unique voice that newer bands try to imitate, usually falling short. It is high-pitched nasal brilliance, quick and snotty punk rock. They are power-pop-punk- silly, ballsy, and tough. They inspire the same kind of enthusiasm and energy that I felt my first time seeing the Ramones when I was 15 years old. Not many bands that have been around since the late 70's can successfully keep that inspiring youthful energy. The singer did some goonish jumping jacks, and reminded me of an amped up paranoid clown-on-speed. Of course, after the show, I spoke to him briefly, and he wasn't like that at all. He was completely calm. All I can say is WHAT A SHOW! I'll go see them every time they come through town, and I suggest everyone else do the same.

That's all for now. I had planned to attend the 2^nd annual Psychobilly Rumble in New Jersey the first weekend of November, but due to the political situation at this time, it's been cancelled. Those damn terrorists have fucked up my music weekenders and it pisses me off! It's hard to try to retain a semblance of normalcy when the things I would normally do are cancelled! I'm happy to be alive, and worried about the future of our country in regard to war and terrorism. I plan to continue living my life and trying to do what I love most, which is see live bands and travel. All I can do is wait and see what happens; like everyone else is doing. I hope we will all remain safe and happy. Unfortunately, that may be a bit too idealistic. In the meantime, good shows and friends will have to keep providing welcome distractions from reality.

September 26, 2001

In the aftermath of the largest, most catastrophically devastating event our country has ever faced, I feel that what I would normally contribute to the Coolgrrrls website is pretty fucking irrelevant. In fact, I feel that working and going on with life as we normally would is completely surreal, upsetting, selfish, and frustrating… but I really don't know what else we are supposed to do. Our lives have to go on. Work has to be done. We still have to make a living. The only thing any of us can do is contribute to our country's relief by doing all the things suggested: donate blood, volunteer, donate money or clothing, etc. And keep on living. I'm going to go ahead and post everything I would normally contribute to Coolgrrls, but I don't want anyone to think that I'm out partying it up, unaffected by what has happened. Although I feel my daily routines and contributions are unimportant now, I don't know what to do except what everyone is doing, which is attempting to move on and "get back to normal," as ridiculous as it may seem.

A lot has been going on in my life (pre-Sept 11th) that I had planned to share. I was actually very excited and highly motivated about my decision to start my own company. As you may know, I've been working for a publicity company since I graduated college in May; and while in school, I completed several internships working toward my career goal of becoming a Music Publicist (the internships were at: a PR company, Artist Management Company, and a Record Label). Anyway, although I love the woman I work for/with, and enjoy the work we've been doing; the company's future focus will be on Technology and Entertainment clients on the National level, and my boss does not want to work with any more local bands (no money). She knows that I have a passion for local music and she encouraged me to start my own band Publicity Company, working with local bands. I decided after some thought, to GO FOR IT! (So there I was, moving forward on starting my own company, and on September 11th, I wondered if I should even bother working so hard when no one really knows what will happen in the world from this point on. If the world is coming to an end, I want to spend my last days in my favorite bar with all my closest friends. As more than a week has passed, I decided to stop thinking so dramatically and move forward as planned.) So I launch my new company on Oct. 2nd, after I return from the Vegas Shakedown. I'm in the process of putting the word out, designing and getting the website up, and setting up meetings with possible future clients.

In the last month, I've attended some great shows - (that again now seems irrelevant, but I'm attempting to report as "normal"). The first I'd planned to report on was the 3- day Punk Festival, Holidays In The Sun; made possible by First Round Productions. The idea of bringing this typically English event to San Francisco was thrilling to me and I was so excited as soon as I heard about it. As with most festivals, especially the first go around, there were glitches and problems that I hope will be ironed out if this event continues in the years to come.

The first glitch was that the ladies working the will call window were inefficient, slow, uncaring, and rude. The first night, the extensive band and guest list was scrawled on 20 different pieces of paper. I'm not only speaking for myself, I saw bad treatment and heard about bad treatment from many of the performers. People in the bands couldn't even get in except the day they played. That seems lame to me since many of the bands weren't from the US. They should have been extended the hospitality of an invitation for all 3 days, considering that they were required to promise they would not play any other shows in SF if they were on the bill. (I'm not a promoter, and maybe the cost would be greatly affected if bands were allowed to attend all 3 days; but in a perfect situation, I think that should be the case.)

The second glitch was with the venue- The Maritime Hall. They need the plumbing worked on! This venue is huge, with several different large bathrooms, with approximately 10 toilets in each. Every bathroom in the venue had several inches of mucky water on the floors, due to clogged sinks and toilets. I've been going to punk clubs for years and have seen many a disgusting bathroom (peepholes and all), but this venue is a nice large venue that hosts various events, not a punk club. It was the grossest thing, having to wade through piss and excrement. The floors in the entire venue were dirty and sticky, and no one attempted to clean or unclog anything the whole weekend. I know it was just easier for them to wait until the event was over to clean or fix anything. The sucky thing about that is that fans paid $30-35 each night, or $75 for the weekend. The cheapest beer was $4 - (plus tip if you have an ounce of etiquette). My point is that the venue had to have made a lot of money, and people attending the event spent a lot of money. I soaked the bottom of my boots in my kitchen sink in bleach after the weekend because I know they were harboring hazardous fecal matter and germs. Eck!

The next few annoyances also lie with the venue. There were no ins and outs, which I understand is necessary for things to run smoothly for an all ages event; but it would have been nice if over 21s could have the privilege of ins and outs. The shows went from 4 or 5pm until 1am or so. It's really inconvenient to be trapped in one place that long, with a very limited food selection and virtually nowhere to sit down to rest your feet. By the last night, I had trouble getting my boots off because my feet and ankles had swollen; making my boots cut into my skin and get stuck. It would have been really nice if there was more seating.

Oh - and one more annoyance with the venue. The sound was horrible. It was very hard to hear the vocals, and no one sounded their best all weekend.

On to the bands… (Sorry for all that but it was an undeniable part of the weekend experience.) The first night I unfortunately missed Mad

Parade - (who I've seen before and really liked); Youth Brigade - (who I've seen before and was unimpressed with); and US Bombs - (who I've seen several times and enjoy), but Michele Willson, the event photographer got some great shots of them. One I'm posting here of singer, Dwayne Peters shows his freakiness. For those of you who don't know, he was the first original "skate punk." He's heavily tattooed and looks like he's been through it all. I've seen him fall on his toothless face a few times, but I hear he's sober now (?). (She sent me a whole lot of great photos for me to post here, so big thanks, Michele!) The band I cared the most about, because they are one of my all-time favorites, is Charged GBH. I wrote a formal review for them:

Charged GBH - Holidays in the Sun Tour
Maritime Hall, San Francisco
August 24, 2001

I never would have thought that I'd still be going to GBH shows in the year 2001. As a teenage GBH fan who met the band back when I was just 17, I didn't think the band would endure this kind of longevity. This show was very powerful and really moved me as a long-time GBH fan. The really cool thing about their performance was that they played everything fans wanted to hear, and didn't bore us with anything that didn't have the old-school edge. I remember thinking; "I wish they'd play every song twice, because this is happening too fast. I want to savor every moment." What a corny fan I am, but that's what I was thinking. The band sounded as good as ever and has not made a lot of disappointing changes and compromises along the way. At least that is how it seemed when watching their show. I'll forget about the metal album they put out sometime around '92. I got rid of it and like to pretend it doesn't exist, to the extent of blocking out which one it was - although it was great at pissing people off. I've seen them a few times over the years, and because I'm so partial to their music to begin with, I've always enjoyed the shows. (I stubbornly chose to boycott the tour around 92 or 93, thinking they'd gone metal.) Their energy is infectious, and at each show I've attended; the crowd goes nuts. That's not to say that at 'The Holidays in the Sun' shows, I didn't see crowds going nuts over bands I feel are a ridiculous talent-less joke like the Exploited… (I could start in on a serious rant about the Exploited, but I won't because I'm concentrating on GBH right now.)

"Freak," followed by "Time Bomb," were both played within the first few minutes of the show, and the crowd ate it up. I got a video from friends who taped the show for their local cable access show, 'Reality Check;' and the recorded view from the balcony shows the entire crowd surrounding the stage and moving in spastic unity, fists pumping in air, fins popping up out of the collective, with abundant crowd surfing. During the show, I was standing to the right near the front of the stage; so I enjoyed seeing the full view of the crowd while the band played on the videotape. Just when everyone was already extremely pumped, they started in on "Maniac," and the show got even better. Colin still looks the same as he always has, except his hair isn't 'poke-out-your-eye'- length anymore. "Catch 23" sparked everyone's energy level, and later in the show, they did their City Baby Parts 1 and 2 - "City Baby Attacked by Rats," followed by "City Baby's Revenge." Before they played "Big Women," they announced it by saying, "Time to get serious and political!" That song is so funny; I've always got a kick out of it. ("Big women, I like their thighs! Big women, fill my eyes!")

Their fourth and newest drummer is a welcome addition, and a good fit. He seemed to play better, making the band sound tighter than they have with former drummers. Jock on guitar sported a pseudo-mohawk (see photo) and lots of tattoos, looking old-school hard core; and he didn't seem to have noticeably aged. Ross is still playing bass after all these years, and I'm still too busy paying attention to Colin and Jock to notice much else! But God love this band for only changing drummers and keeping together the original line-up all these years. Colin still has the fire he always had. I'm pleased that he's not one of those old punk rockers that continue to tour, tainting memories of past glory when they should really call it quits. It looks to me that GBH still has some good years left in them, and I'm damn glad. I'm sure that all the kids who were seeing them for the first time thought they were great, and probably can't even grasp how impressive that is considering how long the band has been doing what they do "For Fun." At the end of the set, Colin said, "See you next year!" I hope it's true. "Give me Fire," they did.
My friend Dave took the photos of GBH- to see his website, go to www.davedeluxe.com.

(GOD! What a bummer! Skratch magazine just asked me if I'd be interested in interviewing GBH for the Sept 28th deadline, and I had to turn them down! I have a super busy week, moving out of my office Tue, meetings Wed, and Thurs I prepare for my trip. Fri-Mon I go to the Vegas Shakedown! I couldn't promise that I could interview, transcribe, edit and send it out all in one day, so instead of spreading myself too thin, I declined. ; (
Bummer!!!)

Okay, so after GBH, The Cockney Rejects played. A lot of people were looking forward to seeing what they were like. Most punk rockers are familiar with their music, but I'm not sure they've ever played the states. If they did, I was either too young or not paying attention. Well, I have to say that I did not find them interesting enough to stay and watch. They were fat guys wearing brightly colored tank tops and shorts, not only devoid of style; but also devoid of any sort of stage presence whatsoever. The crowd attending the event was very styled, however. I've never seen so many fins and multiple hair colors under one roof. It was the rainbow coalition of punk rock hair, and I loved it.

The 2nd night- Sat Aug 26th
My boyfriend's band Strychnine played fairly early, so I went down to support them. The place wasn't packed yet around 6, but I would guess about 200 people saw them (?). They had great energy and did what I've said in previous columns. Even though their style of punk is not my favorite, they put on a great show and give it their all. They were jumping around and yelling as if their lives depended on it. Some kids were moshing and continually wiping up the grimy floor with their clothes. It was good fun. The other opening bands were: The Generators (I didn't

particularly like); Reducers SF (who I don't like); Lower Class Brats (who I kind of enjoyed but have to hear the music again to decide if I like them); and The Casualties (who have great hair, but whose music does not touch me in any way). The night's headliners were The Dickies, followed by Slaughter and The Dogs and The Exploited. Both bands were great! I have never before had the pleasure of seeing the Dickies, but it truly was a pleasure. They had great stage antics to go with their fun brand of punk that others have continually tried to emulate. The singer wore a kiddies snorkel mask and goggles for a while, and had a penis-with-gigantic balls- puppet that lip-synced songs with him. He reminds me of a combination of both Lenny and Squiggy (from Laverne and Shirley). They were fun and energetic, and the crowd loved them. Slaughter and the Dogs were a big surprise for me. I remembered some of their songs from various punk compilations, but have never owned one of their albums. They sounded really good. The songs I recognized were well done, and they were musically tight. I normally don't like to see a performer on stage wearing a leather jacket (it seems fake because you know it's hot under the stage lights), but I have to make an exception this time. I'm planning to buy one of their albums in the near future. I was talking with others in the audience that agreed they were a welcome surprise, especially considering a collective disappointment from the Cockney Rejects. The Exploited suck. They've pretty much always sucked. Wattie is an opinionated asshole who thinks the world of himself, and since I last saw them in ‘92, has been sporting the same dorky hairdo. He started off in the old days with a red mohawk, but in the last decade, decided to update his hairstyle by getting red braid extensions in the mohawk. He looks like a white version of the singer from Living Color (remember that band from like 1990-91? "Cult of Personality"?) Anyway I didn't stick around to watch them suck.

3rd day- Sunday Aug 26th
The first band I remember seeing was The Bodies (from the Bay area). They made an impact on me because the singer kept making me laugh. He would pour beer over his head and flail around and act stupid, which was highly entertaining. They put on a good show and I'll go see them again. I don't remember anything specific to say about their music though. The next band I recall seeing was The Unseen (from Boston). They had a great cohesive punk rock look. For the first half of the show, there were 2 bleached blonde guys up front, one of them singing while playing; and for the second half of the show, the mohawked drummer traded places with the first singer and took over on vocals. I'd never seen or heard them before, but it seems they have a lot of fans. The crowd was pumped and many were singing along. I'd check them out again if it were convenient. Then there was a band called Oxymoron (good name) from Germany, who put on an energetic good show, but whom I didn't really care for. One Man Army was next, another band that wear leather jackets onstage. They were okay, but I'll never buy their music. They just don't do anything for me; although singer Jack is kind of cute, that's not enough to interest me. Next was Anti-Nowhere League, whom I LOVED!!! They did all the favorites, "I Hate People," and "We Are the League," and whatever else…I don't remember as it's been 3 weeks now, but I absolutely loved them. Again I was surprised at how good they were. You never know what to expect out of these old English bands. Especially since I heard they went through an experimental new wave stage that didn't go very well! I'd definitely see them again. The last band of the weekend was Sham 69. They were kind of disappointing. They did a new song that sounded like a rip-off of "Chinese Rock" - not very original. They did some of the old favorites, but I left early because they weren't very exciting and my feet were killing me. That was the end of the big punk weekend. I was ready for it to be over. It was exhausting!

So a few short days later, Billy Idol came to town. His tour publicist, Libby Henry at the Mitch Schnieder Organization (MSO), a big PR firm in LA, promised me over the phone and in writing a ticket to the show and a photo pass. Well, that bitch didn't Fed ex me my ticket as promised, and I was really pissed! Luckily I'm a very resourceful grrrl, and managed to get a free floor ticket at the last minute from a buddy, and I cornered the event photographer and got some photos for all to see. My review appeared in Skratch magazine, but I'll post it here as well. Just to let everyone know, I was so mad at that publicist bitch for not coming through on a promise, that I found out who her boss was, and called to let her know what happened the next day. I explained that I am also a full-time publicist and we never promise the press passes to anything if we cannot deliver. I even told her that I know writing for Skratch and Coolgrrrls is not "Rolling Stone," and I'm fully aware of the fact that I'm a small fish in a very big pond, but I should not have been promised a ticket if I was not going to get one. Her boss agreed that that is not the way they do business, and apologized. I felt that although I appreciated the apology, it would have been nice if they had at least sent me the 8x10 of Billy and the greatest hits CD that was supposed to be sent to me along with my ticket. Billy Idol should not be paying that shitty publicist. My company would treat the press much better! I'm sure he has no idea the flubs his publicist is making along the way. I'm sure I'm not the only member of the press who fell through the cracks! Here is my brutally honest show review:

Billy Idol Show
Warfield Theatre, San Francisco
Thursday, August 30, 2001

I've been a fan of Billy Idol since I can remember. Growing up in the 80s, there weren't any other teen "idols" for me. He was different than

any other mainstream male rocker, and being the rebellious girl I was, he was my teen dream. After being exposed to him on "Friday night videos," MTV, and the like; I later delved into his past and became what is still today a die-hard Generation X fan.

All this in mind, I knew that seeing Billy Idol at age 45 would probably be kind of disappointing for me. Not only because he is losing his sex appeal, but because it is often a mistake when artists continue to perform and don't know when to fade away after their 15 minutes is up. This was just a "Greatest Hits" tour after all. He doesn't have anything new to offer his fans, and this tour was basically a walk down memory lane.

As much as I wanted to be wrong, I'm glad I had prepared myself to be under whelmed. The show started around 9. Thinking I'd miss the opening act, I arrived at 9:30 to find he was already performing. His first full song after I arrived was White Wedding, one of my favorites. Why oh why, would a "rebel" and a "rocker" do this song, which was a groundbreaking hit for him, - in an acoustic version? That is the last thing this punk rock fan wanted to hear. It was a travesty! Next, he picked up the pace a bit, telling the crowd the tune was, "a rockabilly song," but I forgot what the song it was. In my opinion Billy Idol doesn't have any rockabilly songs. I was still reeling from the White Wedding acoustic incident, and the very large guy pressing up against me and sweating all over me. Next he came back to another acoustic number, but this one was done well because it was actually originally done that way. The minute he picked up his white guitar, I told my friend, "He's going to do Sweet Sixteen." He talked to the crowd in an abstract way about the meaning of the song for a couple of minutes and then began playing it. A few people around me looked at me wondering how I knew what he was going to do before he did it. Easy, fools. I came to the show because I've actually followed Billy Idol's career from beginning to now. (He played that guitar in the video, and usually does not play guitar.) I didn't just know his radio hits and decide to go to the show. I suspect 90% of the crowd did though. I guess in a way, the bigger the fan you are; the more chance an artist has of disappointing you. Because we care more and pay attention to little details, we aren't as easy to please. His voice was as good as it ever was, and Steve Stevens is still a guitar god, there's no denying that. In fact, Steve Stevens even did something new for a Billy Idol show. He used sound effects from a green plastic space gun! Billy Idol repeatedly did something throughout the show that I also wasn't expecting. He kept walking over behind the drums and playing the floor toms with his drummer. My thoughts: Let the drummer play solo. You are the front man, Billy Idol. No one came to see you cheese out behind the drums (I hope).

In all, I have to say that the excitement that he generated in the 80s was just not there. I did not see any teenagers there at all. I wonder if they are able to appreciate songs like White Wedding and Rebel Yell, or if the fact that their parents liked it makes them think it's lame? The crowd was full of thinning hair and golf shirts, and I'd have to guess the average age of the audience was 30- 50. I saw a guy wearing a shirt that said "Sushi Zone." Wow, rock and roll, man. Another guy kept holding up a British flag, which was stupid for two reasons. First, Billy Idol has lived in the states since the early 80s, approximately 20 years. If he was into England, he'd still live there. Second, because every time that fool held the flag up, he was blocking the view of everyone behind him. My guess as to why there were no punk rockers there is that they all knew what I had prepared myself for, and didn't want to shell out 30 bucks to see a nostalgia act.

The show continued on, and as it was moving toward the end, they started playing Blue Highway. In the beginning of the first few lyrics, Billy's microphone cut out. He walked to the bass player's mic and tried to use that, but the sound was way down and the crowd couldn't hear it, so he got pissed off and threw the microphone, and angrily stormed backstage. The band continued for a second and then just stopped playing. Billy came back onstage and grabbed the bassists' mic again and yelled at the stage crew, something to the effect of, "F***ers, get me a f***ing microphone that f***ing works!" And he stormed back off, this time the band followed. People cheered. They were actually enjoying watching him be a prick to people who were just doing their jobs. The crowd is standing around dumbfounded, wondering if he's going to end the show. I was thinking that he is way too yesterday to be throwing a diva temper tantrum and berating stagehands. I do not support the behavior of being an a**hole. Some poor stagehand announced, "Just a minute, folks. We're having technical difficulties." Then the crowd decided to chant like they were at an Oakland A's game. "Let's go, Billy" Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. That just showed the jock mentality of this audience.

Well, he came back out in a different shirt and finally did Blue Highway. Five shirts later, the show was still under whelming. I guess his lucky shirt, whichever it was, wasn't working for me that night. When he did Rebel Yell, the keyboards sounded a bit flat, and quite different than the original recording. It made me miss the heavily made up, "new-wave hooker" styled former keyboardist who was in the Rebel Yell video. Where is she? Can't he get her back?!

The last thing I have to say is that even though this show did not move me, and it was not a religious experience… I'm glad I went to see it for myself. It was like a train wreck - I didn't really want to see it, but I couldn't look away.

Thanks to Steve Jennings, the event photographer for the wonderful photos!

Okay, this column is really ridiculously long, so I'll save the rest of the shows I plan to review for the next update in a few weeks. Things to look forward to: My overview of the Vegas Shakedown and My review of a new SF Band - Lust Killers, featuring frontman Adam X and guitarist Billy Rowe (formerly of Jet Boy). Both of these guys are in American Heartbreak. And Greg, the drummer of Swingin' Utters; and also on guitar, my friend Chuck. Their new band is going to go places. I will probably also review the upcoming Dickies show happening in Alameda this Saturday, Sept 22nd.

Thanks for stayin’ with me. Everybody stay safe, and positive if possible!
XXX- Alisha Amnesia